BMW Introducing New Models for China

Introducing new high-class Business Saloons, the BMW Group is enlarging its range of models for the Chinese market. These new models are Long Wheelbase versions of the successful BMW 5 Series specially developed by the German premium carmaker and will be presented for the first time at the international Auto China 2006 Motor Show in Beijing (18 - 27 November, 2006).

The new BMW 530 Li, BMW 525 Li, and BMW 523 Li have been specially developed for the particular demands and requirements of the Chinese automobile market, combining sporting driving characteristics with superior interior comfort. A stylish ambience inside the car is ensured by high-quality Dakota leather on the seats and door linings. The BMW 525Li and BMW 530Li also come as standard with a newly developed rear console complete with an integrated entertainment system with a DVD-player, eight-inch screens fitted in a console on the back of the front seats, as well as a cooling box.

The most striking feature when looking at the new BMW 5 Series Saloon from outside is no doubt the extension of the car’s wheelbase by 140 millimetres, all of this extra space being provided between the B- and C-pillars. This increase in size benefits the passengers at the rear, with the new, Long Wheelbase BMW 5 Series offering an unprecedented standard of grand touring comfort.

The new models are powered by straight-six power units ranging in output from 130 kW/177 hp to 190 kW/258 hp. The new BMW 5 Series Long Wheelbase for the Chinese market was developed at BMW’s Development Headquarters in Munich, creating outstanding models specifically tailored in their overall concept to the Chinese market while at the same time fulfilling all of BMW’s demanding standards and requirements. Production of the new Saloons is at the Shenyang Plant in the Province of Liaoning in the north-east of China, which also builds the BMW 3 Series for the Chinese market.

The BMW Group has been represented in China since 1994 and has consistently expanded its operation and engagement over the years. In May 2004 the BMW Group and Brilliance China Automotive opened their joint plant in Shenyang, and shortly thereafter BMW established a separate Sales Region for China also including Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan, in order to boost sales to an even higher level.

BMW has achieved enormous growth in the Chinese market in recent years, with sales increasing in the first half of 2006 by approximately 66 per cent to almost 18,000 units, making China BMW’s fastest-growing country in percentage terms.
China now ranks high up as the world’s second most important sales market for the BMW 7 Series.

Source: BMWUSA

Sauceboy01 - 10/10/2006 1:45:40 PM

-1 Boost

ugh, what an ugly car..

S4cabriofox - 10/10/2006 5:20:53 PM

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"better than an audi. this will dominate the landscape, if any of you have ever been to china. They love these cars and the 5 will take on the aura of a 7 series...another nail in audi's/VW's coffin."

1. You bring Audi into every single article on BMW. Noone brought it up- just you. I sense insecurity.

2. If you've ever been to China, you'd notice that Audis are the best-selling premium car there.

3. VW AG is the most powerful automotive firm in Europe. With all their technology, money and assets, they could crush BMW like a bug.

crackityjones - 10/10/2006 10:22:51 PM

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How many nails is that so far? Audi isn't a BMW competitor, huh?

thecar - 10/11/2006 12:28:09 PM

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I am sorry , but most chinese hires driver to drive any big car i.e. from the size of LS430 and up.

This car is gonna bomb (the bad way)=D.... BMW is for chinese kids , old men buys Mercedes / Jag / Lexus + any big car that dosent say 'sport'

Sauceboy01 - 10/10/2006 6:01:33 PM

0 Boost

I think this has to do with the popularity of the 5-series in china.

S4cabriofox - 10/10/2006 6:44:37 PM

+1 Boost

Alright...

The Audi A6 alone sold about 40,000 units in China in the first half (January-June) of the year, while BMW sold 20,000 cars in its entire lineup through the same period.

Audi has too strong a foothold in the Chinese market, and I don't see BMW beating them any time soon. Audi expects to reach the 1,000,000 mark by 2008, because they will be selling 100K cars in China anually by then. The Chinese are too smart to buy a BMW because of the badge.

Rupert - 10/10/2006 4:13:29 PM

+1 Boost

why does size always equal expense?
market it right and a lwb 5/a6/e makes sense.

but still, the ultimate chauffeured driving machine? hmmmmm.

awsomeaudi - 10/10/2006 7:49:28 PM

+1 Boost

wouldnt that force bmw kind of to make a m7??

awsomeaudi - 10/10/2006 7:49:35 PM

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wouldnt that force bmw kind of to make a m7??

Larry - 10/10/2006 8:31:06 PM

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S4cabriofox, VW group is not as strong as you think, in fact BMW,makes more than twice the profit of the entire VW Group. ( Feel free to check my facts on google) Plus VW is in the process of laying off 40,000+ workers, BMW employees have never experienced layoffs.

crackityjones - 10/10/2006 10:25:46 PM

0 Boost

Larry, you've fallen into the profit trap. A small company can make a large profit based on sales but still a meager profit in actual dollars. Apple Computer is a good example of this. They make huge profits vs. their outlay because they overcharge and underdeliver. That's why people bring up BMW and Apple together.

BMW is a small company / small player in the scheme of things. Crunch real numbers and you'll see that.

S4cabriofox - 10/11/2006 7:27:20 PM

+1 Boost

^^^^^^^See Above^^^^^^^

In the real world, VW AG is a much bigger player than BMW AG.

I'm pretty sure they're the world's fifth biggest car company right now.

And BMW is what, #15?

urbansouljah - 10/10/2006 11:13:04 PM

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Didn't BMW make 5 billion in profits last year?

MPowerDK - 10/11/2006 1:35:19 AM

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BMW is a moneymaker yes, and they do it all alone.

Audi vw skoda seat, the hitler lineup are 4 companys to make money.

BMW is making a god job, they sell 1,2 million cars, audi sells about 800.000 i think.

crackityjones - 10/11/2006 1:47:49 AM

+1 Boost

You should just be ashamed of yourself trying to stain Volkswagen with your stupid Hitler reference. You are just showing a total disregard for people's feelings here, as well as a tasteless ignorance of history.

Grow up or please get lost.

crackityjones - 10/11/2006 1:43:50 AM

+1 Boost

According to Fortune Global 500 for 2005:

VW AG had revenues of 118 billion. Profit of 1.391 billion.

BMW had revenues of 57.9 billion. Profit of 2.782 billion.

BMW has greater profits on smaller sales. However, VAG had a 65 percent increase in profit over 2004. BMW's profit was only 7 percent greater than the year prior.

All this to say, Larry is wrong in saying VAG isn't strong. They are a huge company doing well. BMW is a smaller player. Comparing the two is like comparing IBM to Apple Computer.

You're free to have your biases without trying to prove things based on profit. Profit is a situational thing, based on outlay to return more than any amount of strength or quality. You're better off touting sales figures of car lines to grind your axe.

MPowerDK - 10/11/2006 4:37:10 AM

0 Boost

crackityjones

what i am saying is, that Adolf Hitler wanted the Germans to have a car that they could all effort (a volkswagen) He started the project and without the help from him and the German republic, VW had problably not existed today. That is why I call it hitlermobile. That is fact so be it. I would never buy a car from that brand.

crackityjones - 10/11/2006 11:35:13 AM

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Look, dude. I respect that you're trying to defend your statement with logic, but it is faulty logic.

ALL the German car companies we talk about on this site worked for the ruling German government in World War 2. You can look it up on Wikipedia. MB, BMW, and VW.

You're not saying anything profound or original trying to bring up this crap here.

crackityjones - 10/11/2006 11:40:42 AM

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Logical, I appreciate your sensitive response to my post. You're simplifying things too much.

Profit is part of it. So is market cap. So is stability. So is a business model. So is a lot of things.

To use the IBM and Apple Computer analogy. IBM's profit figure for 2005 is 7 times what Apple made, but Apple had a profit increase of 383% while IBM lost 5%. So who made more money that year?

I think my logic here will probably be lost on you, but suffice to say, there is more to economics than 1 indicator. Why don't we just stick with car sales figures and stop using a corporations stat sheet to prove why our irrational interest in a certain car is valid.

S4cabriofox - 10/11/2006 7:29:29 PM

+1 Boost

Wow, you are such an idiot. About everything.

I'm speechless.

DarkOneForce - 10/11/2006 7:58:58 AM

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It's not just China, Europe, USA, Middle East are all geting and/or will get new models.
Right now there's a new wave of expansion taking place.

crackityjones - 10/11/2006 2:12:39 PM

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Yeah. I don't know how the conversation turned to economics. I guess the gist was, neither VW or BMW is going out of business anytime soon. BMW certainly is a hot company.

S4cabriofox - 10/11/2006 7:48:20 PM

+1 Boost

And yet, Porsche has the highest profit margin in the world.

And guess who Porsche is affiliated with?

You got it-- Volkswagen!

How about a little history lesson?

Back in the '30s, Hitler hired Ferdinand Porsche himself to design the original VW Beetle. The car became a smashing hit- and about twenty years later, Porsche designed a variation of the theme, called the 356. It really was a modified Beetle. Ever since, Porsche and VW have been two peas in a pod. Their cars have always shared technology and platforms, and when Audi came into the mix in the '60s, there was a further reach for luxury and technological superierority. Now that Porsche owns 1/4 of the VW Group and reaps profits from the firm's platforms anually, they're as connected as ever.

So, if you ever say "VW is crappier than x" or vice versa, never forget to include Porsche.

iown1 - 10/11/2006 10:07:03 PM

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I try to refrain from responding to logicals comments but in this case I'll make an exception. First let me say that I think BMW's are great cars. The company has done amazingly well over the past decade due to great products and smart managment. That being said, their stock is listed as a hold. That is not -/+. It simply means that investors aren't excited about their future product line at the moment. Their caution is completely understandable. Unless BMW increases their model line uo like Mercedes their growth will stagnate. Conversely, AUDI is just begining to increase their products; growth is a given. I find it interesting that AUDI has closed the sales gap significantly. BMW leads buy some 190,000 autos but has double the models. At any rate, AUDI is defintely a thorn in the side for the other two German manufacturers. For anyone who says their not I have but one question: If AUDI isn't in the same league as BMW and Mercedes, why are they always in the same comparison tests (and often winning)?

S4cabriofox - 10/11/2006 7:49:31 PM

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And actually, the former big cheese at VW and now the head of their supervisory bord, Ferdinand Piech, is Ferry Porsche's grandson.

Rupert - 10/13/2006 8:48:48 AM

+1 Boost

f1...they're not even winning.

now that's a waste.